As Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign gets underway on Tuesday (today), the Super Eagles are set to usher in a new generation, with as many as ten players in the squad in line to make their AFCON debuts.
For these players, the continental showpiece represents not just a tournament, but the fulfilment of a lifelong dream of wearing Nigeria’s colours on Africa’s biggest stage.
Nigeria head into the competition with a blend of experience and fresh faces, as the technical crew look to inject new energy into the squad. While established stars are expected to provide leadership, much of the intrigue surrounds the debutants who could be handed their first taste of AFCON football over the coming weeks.
Bold Sports examines who these players are and the qualities they could add to the Super Eagles as Nigeria chase a fourth continental crown in Morocco.
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Salim Fago Lawal (NK Istra 1961)
Salim Fago Lawal is an energetic winger who currently plies his trade with Croatian outfit NK Istra 1961. The 22-year-old started his career at the Mavlon youth academy before completing a move to the Croatian club in 2023.
The attacker is no stranger to international football, having represented Nigeria at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina. Lawal found the net once during the tournament, although the Flying Eagles’ campaign ended with a quarterfinal exit at the hands of South Korea.
At club level, Lawal has enjoyed a breakthrough season, establishing himself as a regular starter for Istra. He has registered seven goals and two assists in 19 appearances across all competitions and also earned minutes in Nigeria’s pre-AFCON friendly clash against Egypt.
Ebenezer Akinsanmiro (Pisa)
Ebenezer Akinsanmiro is a midfielder currently on loan at Italian side Pisa from Inter Milan. The 21-year-old began his football journey at Beyond Limits Academy before turning professional with Remo Stars, Nigeria’s reigning champions, in 2020.
His rapid rise earned him a high-profile move to Inter Milan in January 2023. Akinsanmiro featured prominently for the club’s U-19 side during the 2022–23 campaign and was rewarded with his senior team debut in February 2024, coming on against Lecce.
After spending the 2024–25 season on loan with Serie B outfit Sampdoria, the midfielder has taken another step forward this campaign, establishing himself as a regular in Serie A with Pisa. Despite having no prior experience at any level with Nigeria’s national teams, Akinsanmiro was handed a starting role in the Super Eagles’ pre-AFCON friendly against Egypt.
Amas Obasogie (Singida Black Stars)
Goalkeeper Amas Obasogie is not new to the Super Eagles setup but remains one of the players who could be in line for his Africa Cup of Nations debut in the coming weeks. The 26-year-old has been a regular member of Nigeria’s squad in recent months, particularly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
Obasogie started his professional career with Nigerian club Bendel Insurance before moving abroad in 2024 to join Ethiopian Premier League side Fasil Kenema SC. He made another switch in 2025, signing for Tanzanian outfit Singida Black Stars.
This season, the shot-stopper has featured in both the Tanzanian Premier League and the CAF Confederation Cup. He was also in goal for the second half of Nigeria’s friendly against Egypt, conceding one goal as the Pharaohs won 2-1.
Muhammed Usman (Ironi Tiberias)
Seven and a half years after announcing himself with a stunning goal against Atlético Madrid in Uyo, Muhammed Usman has earned a place in Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations squad for the first time in his career.
The 31-year-old midfielder previously represented Nigeria at youth level, featuring for the U-23 side that won the 2015 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations and went on to claim a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
He began his professional career with Kaduna-based club Ranchers Bees before playing for several clubs across Europe and Asia. Usman has since turned out for Sarpsborg 08, Pyunik, Tambov, Shakhter Karagandy, Hapoel Hadera, Sektzia Ness Ziona, Maccabi Bnei Reineh and now plies his trade with Ironi Tiberias.
Tochukwu Nnadi (Zulte Waregem)
Tochukwu Nnadi is another young, energetic midfielder that has been introduced into the Super Eagles setup. The 22-year-old currently plies his trade with Belgian Pro League side Zulte Waregem, where he has continued to impress with his work rate and consistency.
Nnadi began his football journey with Campos FC in Owerri before moving abroad in 2019 to train with Madenat Alamal Football Academy in Dubai. His development earned him a move to Bulgarian outfit Botev Plovdiv in August 2021, where he spent over two years before joining Zulte Waregem in January 2024.
The midfielder initially featured in Belgium’s second division but played a key role in Zulte Waregem’s promotion to the top flight. Now competing in the Belgian Pro League, Nnadi has made 16 appearances this season, starting all but three league matches for the club. He was also part of Nigeria’s U-20 squad at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio)
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is no stranger to the Super Eagles setup. Since making his senior international debut in October 2023, the 24-year-old has earned 10 caps, scoring twice and registering one assist across friendlies, FIFA World Cup qualifiers and Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches.
The midfielder began his career in Manchester City’s youth system before completing a move to Sheffield Wednesday in 2020. After spending three seasons with the Championship side, he joined Turkish Süper Lig outfit Hatayspor for the 2023–24 campaign, where he impressed with nine goals in 39 appearances across all competitions.
Dele-Bashiru secured a switch to Lazio ahead of the 2024–25 season and enjoyed a productive debut campaign, contributing five goals and three assists. However, injuries have hampered his involvement this season, restricting him to just eight appearances. He completed the full 90 minutes in Nigeria’s pre-AFCON friendly against Egypt.
Cyriel Dessers (Panathinaikos)
Cyriel Dessers stands out as the most experienced player among those set to make their Africa Cup of Nations debut. The 31-year-old striker has earned 11 caps for the Super Eagles, scoring four goals and providing one assist, with the bulk of his contributions coming in friendly matches.
Dessers has spent most of his club career in Belgium and the Netherlands. He began with OH Leuven, netting 21 goals in 21 reserve games before moving to Lokeren in 2014. He later had spells with NAC Breda, FC Utrecht, Heracles, Genk, Feyenoord, and Cremonese.
His most prolific period came at Rangers, where he joined in 2023. Dessers scored 22 goals in his debut season and improved in his second, netting 29 times. In September 2025, he signed for Panathinaikos and has already scored three goals in eight appearances.
Akor Adams (Sevilla)
Akor Adams is another striker who is already familiar with representing Nigeria. The 25-year-old featured for the Nigeria U-20 team at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup and made his senior international debut in the World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho, scoring what proved to be the winning goal.
Adams continued his scoring form for the Super Eagles, netting in the CAF World Cup playoff against Gabon. At club level, he has contributed three goals and three assists in 15 appearances for Sevilla this season.
He began his career at Jamba Football Academy before moving to Norwegian side Sogndal, where he scored 16 goals in 55 matches. In 2021, he joined Lillestrøm, finding the net 25 times in 46 games, and later signed for Montpellier in 2023, scoring 13 goals in 49 appearances.
Ryan Alebiosu (Blackburn Rovers)
Ryan Alebiosu is the latest in a growing line of England-born players to pledge their international future to Nigeria. The 24-year-old right-back currently plays for Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.
Born in London, Alebiosu joined Arsenal’s academy at the age of eight in 2010 and turned professional in 2020. He spent time on loan at Crewe Alexandra in January 2022 and later joined Kilmarnock on another loan in July of the same year.
In 2023, he moved to Belgian Pro League side Kortrijk before joining St Mirren on loan in February 2025. This summer, Alebiosu secured a permanent move to Blackburn Rovers, where he has already made 21 appearances, contributing one goal and two assists.
Igoh Ogbu (Slavia Prague)
Igoh Ogbu is a defender currently plying his trade with Czech side Slavia Prague. The 25-year-old has previously represented Nigeria at the 2019 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA U-20 World Cup, and also featured for the national team at the 2025 Unity Cup in London.
Ogbu began his professional journey with Gombe United before moving to Norwegian club Rosenborg in February 2018. After loan spells with Levanger and Sogndal, he joined Sogndal permanently in June 2020. In January 2021, he signed for Lillestrøm, making 60 appearances over two seasons.
In January 2023, Ogbu secured a move to Slavia Prague, where he has since made 101 appearances. This season, he has featured in eight matches across all competitions, including an appearance in the UEFA Champions League against Tottenham.
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